(255) Chapter: Prohibition of Listening to Backbiting

Ka'b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) said in his long story about his repentance:
The Prophet (ﷺ) was sitting among the people in Tabuk. He (ﷺ) said, "What happened to Ka'b bin Malik?" A person from the tribe of Banu Salamah said: "O Messenger of Allah! the embellishment of his cloak and an appreciation of his sides have allured him, and he was thus detained." Mu'adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) said: "Woe be upon you! You have passed indecent remarks. O Messenger of Allah! by Allah, we know nothing about him but good." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained silent.

[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: This Hadith has already been mentioned in detail in the Chapter on Repentance. Here it is repeated to show how important it is to defend a Muslim when someone accuses him in his absence. In the presence of the Prophet (PBUH) a person expressed misgivings about Ka`b bin Malik that his obsession (for fine dress) had prevented him from coming to the battlefield. Mu`adh immediately defended him saying that there was no justification for such misgivings. The Prophet's silence endorsed the stand taken by Mu`adh (May Allah be pleased with him). This goes to prove that if a Muslim brother or sister is disgraced in his or her absence in a gathering, then it is incumbent on others to defend his or her honour.